Beehive



Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES ALBERT fr. Knit, or Mans, rnNNsYLvaNIA.

BEEHIVE.

Application filed. November 5, 1923. Serial No. 672,863.

To all who/m. t may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT T. Kinn, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Mars, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Beehives; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to bee-hives.

rIhe object of my invention is to provide a bee-hive which, in winter time, will protect the bees against undue cold and drafts where the hives are keptl out of doors, and so constructed that by the removal of certain parts the hive will be well ventilated in summer, and the air given free access to the brood-chamber.

To these ends my invention comprises the novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved hive; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section partly broken away; Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the packing chamber; Fig. ll is a. perspective view of same; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the hive broken away showing the front board of the packing chamber removed.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 2 designates the ordinary bottom-board which is of the standard construction now generally employed, and on which it has been custernary heretofore to directly rest the broodchamber 3 which is likewise of standard construction, being provided with the customary brood-frames 4L.

My invention consists in the interposition of the packing box or chamber 5 between the bottom-board 2 and the broodchamber 3. I will now describe said packing box in detail.

The said packing box comprises the sidewalls 6 and the inner wall 7, the slope-board 8, the boards 9 which form the bottom of the hive, and the front-board 10 which may be secured to the sides by screws or other fastening devices which will permit of the front heilig readily removed.

This packing box 5 rests upon the bottomboard 2 and said bottom-board projects out beyond the front of said packing chamber providing the customary alighting platform 11. A cleat 12 is secured to the lower end of the slope-board 8, said cleat resting on the bottom-board 2 between the strips 13 of said bottom-board;

Secured to the inner wall of the frontboard 10 is the entrance reducer la which contracts the entrance opening so that while there will be sufficient room for the bees to enter the hive, the hive is protected from undue drafts or cold in winter time.

Secured to the upper edge of the slopeboard 8 is the baffle 15 which is preferably located centrally to extend over the entrance 16, said baffle acting to prevent a direct draft of air from entering the hive, the air being divided lby said bafle and passing up to the right and left of said baille, whereby the force of the draft is greatly reduced.

Strips 17 are secured to the side and innerwalls 6 and 7 of the packing chamber, and said strips form the Vsupport for the broodchamber 3 which rests thereon, whereby the brood-chamber is raised above the bottom boards 9 on to which the bees pass in coming up through the entrance on their way to the brood-frames 1. The bottom-boards 9 are slightly below the upper edges of the side and end walls 6 and 7, being supported on the strip 9, thereby forming a depression or space 9b for the passage of the bees to the brood-frames.

The weather-strip 18 is adapted to rest on the bottom-board between the strips 13 in cold weather, and said weather-strip is cut away as at 19 to give a reduced opening to the hive in the winer time. This, how ever, is a common expedient.

The packing box is filled withchaif. shavings or other suitable material which will act as insulation, and protect the broodchamber from below against cold and dampness.

When my improved hive is in use in the winter time the drafts of air or wind on entering the hive first strike the strip 13 then passes up the abrupt slope-board, which is purposely made abrupt so that there will be more opposition to the entrance of air. Upon reachingthe upper end of said slopeboard, the air is again retarded by the baiile 15 which divides the air and compels it to pass up to the right or left so that when the air finally reaches the brood-chamber the force has been greatly reduced, (and strong drafts avoided.

In the summer time by the removal of the front-board 10, the proper ventilation throughout the hive is obtained, or if desired, the packing box may be removed entireiy in the summer time, and the broodchamber rested directly on the bottom-board in the manner now generally followed.

What I claim is:

l. In a bee-hive the combination with a bottom-board and brood-chamber, a packing box for containing packing material, .said packing box being interposed betv-feen ysaid bottom-board 4and brood-chamber, and

provided with a slope-'board and a depressed platform for-ming the bottom of the broodchamber.

2. In a bee-hive, the combination with a bottoni-board and brood-chamber, a freely removable packing box 'for containing material, said packing box being interposed between said bottom-board and brood-chamber, and a depressed platform forming the bottom of the brood-chamber.

3. In a bee hive, the combination with a bottom-board and a brood-chamber, of a packing box interposed between said bottomboard and brood-chamber, said packing box having an entrance leading to the brood-l chamber, and a bale at the upper end of having an entrance for th-e bees formed by a slope-board and aremovable front-beard.

5. In a bee hive, the combination with a bottom board and brood-chamber. of `a packing box inter-posed between said bottomboard and brood chamber, said packing box having an entra-nce formed by a slope-board and a removable front-wall, said front-wall being thicker at the top than at the bottom to reduce the upper end of said entrance.

In testimonyrwhereof I, the said ALBERT T. Kinn, have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT T. KEIL, 

